Carpet-sweeper.



(No Model.)

A. H. DDDD. CARPET SWEEPER.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1898 Patented Feb 20, I900.

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

LIWII No. 643,634. Patented :Feb. 20, I900.

A. H. DODD.

CARPET SWEEPEB.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Slwots8heet -2.

zy a Ezg. 6'.

e20 Mv v No. 643,634. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

, A. H. norm CARPET SWEEPER.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1898.)

(No Model) 3 Sheeis-Sheat 3,

26' 24 min-mu.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN H. DODD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS \V. DYREN- FORTH, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 643,634, dated February 20, 1900. rp lo,1898- Serial no. 698,866. (No model.)

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to carpet-sweepers, and has for its object to form a sweeper in which the brush will sweep close to the wash boarding and corners of rooms and close to the legs of heavy pieces of furniture, which cannot be conveniently moved, and without striking and marring the washboarding or furniture, and also to form a sweeper in which the brush will move in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper and alike in both long and short strokes thereof.

It has further for its object to provide improved features of construction and combination in diiferent parts of the sweeper.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the construction and in the combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- 7 Figure 1 is a plan View of the sweeper with portions broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a modification, with dustpan omitted for clearness. Fig. 4: is an end View of one of the clutching devices. Fig. 5 is a section through a part of the brush-core, pinion, and clutching device; Fig. 6, a section through another portion of the corresponding parts; Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. at of leather clutching device; Fig. 8, a detailed'view ofthe bail-handle; Fig. 9, a longitudinal view through one of the pitmen; Figs. 10 and 11, detail views of aportion of one side, showing connection therewith of spring-influenced shoe and dust-pan; and Fig. 12, a detail view showing connection between bail-handle casting and top, side, and bracket.

-In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the sides of the sweeper, which are made, preferably, of metal and provided with internal lugs or sockets 2, 3, and 4. to receive crossrods 5, formed with right and left threads at different ends, so as to screw into said sockets or lugs and hold the sides together. The sides are also formed on their inner faces with grooves 6 to receive the ends of the shell or casing 7, which is preferably made of thin wood adapted to be bentinto shape and which will be held in place by the side pieces 1. The side pieces are also cast with brackets 8,which will fit against the under side of the wood casing 7, and on top of the .casing, at the opposite sides, are placed the castings 9, adapted to receive the ends of the handle-bail, hereinafter mentioned, said castings being formed with threaded bolts 10, which pass through the shell and the brackets 8 and have nuts 11 applied to their ends to hold the castings 9 in place and incidentally secure the shell against lengthwise movement in its grooves. The castings 9 are formed with sockets 12 to receive the ends of the bail-handle and with studs 13, which will serve to hold the bail- 8o handle to one side of one or the other, as it may be sprung to one side or the other, or in, an upright position between the studs if sprung into the space between the lugs. The bail-handle is designated by the numeral 14 and between its ends is formed with a coiled socket 15, adapted to receive a straight handle, said coil also imparting resiliency to the bail-handle, so that it may be contracted sufficiently to permit its ends to be sprung into their sockets formed in the castings 9. At the brush end of the casing a'block 16, having a concave under face, may be placed across the inside of the shell or casing, so as to strenghten the same at that point. 5

The brush is indicated by the numeral 17 and is journaled at one end on a pintle 18 and at the other end on a movable pintle 19, which passes through one of the sides to the sweeper, and formed with threads engaging I00 threads in the side, the inner end of the pintle entering the end of the brush-core, so that the brush may turn thereon. By withdrawing the removable pintle the brush can be readily taken out.

A crankaxle 20, provided with rollers or wheels 21,.is journaled in sockets 23, formed on the inner faces of the sides 1, and motion is transmitted from this axle to the brush 17 through a pitman 24. The crank 25 of the shaft 20 works in a slot 26 in the end of the pitman, the pitman being provided with a removable member 27, secured to the other portion of the pitman by screw-bolts, as shown, so as to be readily detachable for the purpose of easily making connection with the crank of the axle. The opposite end of the pitman is suitably connected with the brush in such manner that in the movement of the pitman the brush will be rotated, and the construction is also such that the brush will be rotated in the same direction in both the backward and forward movements of the sweeper. For this purpose I illustrate in the drawings rack-teeth formed at the brush end of the pitman, which teeth engage toothed wheels or pinions secured to the brush. These pinions are designated by the numerals 28 and 29, and they turn freely on a shaft 30, which is secured in any suitable manner in the core 31 of the brush, so as to turn with the core, the core being made in two parts or divided transversely, so that the pinions may occupy the space between the two parts. The shaft 30,however, joins the two parts,and thus practicallyconstitutes the coreasingle piece so far as its function as a support for the bristles of the brush is concerned. The pinion 28 has connected thereto, so as to turn with it, a disk or plate 32, which carries any desired number of dogs 33, said dogs being illustrated as formed with a knuckle 3i on one end and fitting in correspondingly-shaped sockets in the plate, so as to swing therein, so that the outer ends of the dogs may by gravity or centrifugalforce be thrown outbeyond the periphcry of the disk or plate and also recede inward therefrom. Encircling the plate or disk 32 is a ring or collar 35, rigidly fixed in the core of the brush and formed on its inner face with cavities 36, which serve as ratchetteeth for the ends of the dogs to engage with when projected beyond the periphery of the dogholding disk or plate, and thus cause the brush to rotate with the pinion when the pinion is turned in one direction, the dogs sliding or slipping over the ratchet-teeth in the manner of a pawl and ratchet when the pinion is rotated in the opposite direction. It is preferred to make the faces of the cavities and the ends of the dogs of rounded form, as illustrated, so that they will wear longer. Between the disk or plate 32 and the core of the brush is a fixed washer or plate 37 to protect the core, and between the pinion 28 and dogholding disk is a fixed cap 38 to exclude dust from the disk and dogs. The other pinion 29 has connected to it, so as to turn with it, a disk or plate 39, which carries any desired number of dogs 40 in the same manner as the disk or plate 32, and encircling the disk or plate is a ring or collar31, set into the brushcore and having cavities or teeth 42 on its face similarly to the ring 35, the cavities, however, being formed and the dogs positioned in the opposite direction to the corresponding parts in the plate 32 and ring or collar 35, or, in other words, said parts being reversed, so that they will operate in the opposite direction to the dogs and ratchet-ring which cooperate with the first-mentioned pinion 28, and a washer 37 and dust-plate 38 are located with respect to the parts and to serve the same purpose heretofore assigned to such parts.

. Under the construction and arrangement of the two pinions and their respective cooperating dogs and ratchet-rings, as illustrated, it will be observed that a clutch mechanism is formed by which the brush will always be turned in the same direction, first by the interlocking of the dogs and ratchet-ring of one pinion, at which time the corresponding parts of the other pinion will have a slipping or unclutching connection with each other while their pinion rotates, and then through the interlockln g of the dogs and ratchet-ring of such second pinion by the reversal of the direction of rotation of such pinion, during which time the direction of rotation of the first-mentioned pinion is reversed, so as to throw its cooperating parts out of active operation. By such mechanism, therefore, I am enabled to make use of the pitman deriving its motion from the crank-shaft of the driving or supporting wheels for rotating the brush at all times in the same direction and in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper and in short as well as in long strokes of the sweeper. In Fig. 2 of the drawings the pitman 24 is illustrated as pivoted or fulcrumed from an arm 43 by a headed bolt tt and at its brush end as formed with a segmental rack, one set of teeth 45 of which mesh with and operate the pinion 28 and the other set of teeth 46 of which mesh with and operate the pinion 29 and under which the brush will make two complete revolutions to one of the crankshaft. This form is also preferred, because the rack end of the pitman never projects beyond the front of the brush in the throw of the pitman; but I may use the form of pitman 47 illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in which the racks of the pitman are parallel with the pitman and the crank end of the pitman is curved orarehed, as illustrated, and connected to the crank of the driving-shaft otherwise than by a slotted connection, as in the first form, and is not pivoted, as in the first form.

The numeral 48 designates a shoe, of which there may be one at each side of the sweeper, which is pivoted on the stud 4 and has an arm 49, which is pressed by a spring 50, so as to normally hold the shoe below the level of the brush, and thereby keep the brush from contact with the floor; but when pressure is applied through the handle the shoe will yield and the brush be brought into contact with the floor, and when pressure on the handle is released the spring 50 at once brings the shoe to its normal position and the brush out of contact with the floor.

The numeral 51 designates the dust-pan, which is pivoted to the studs 01' lugs 4 and is under the influence of a suitable springas, for instance, the spring 52 which normally holds the pan closed. By tilting the pan against the influence of the spring the dust and trash are discharged therefrom. The pan at its free end is provided with a lip 53, which extends under the partition 54. This partition separates the dust-chamber from the space back of the partition wherein are located the crank-shaft and driving-wheels. The partition at its ends fits in ways or grooves 55, cast as a part of the sides 1 of the sweeper, and it is divided or slotted for the passage of the pitman.

It will be observed that the brush is so positioned that its bristles project in front of the sweeper, by reason whereof the brush is caused to sweep close to the washboarding and in corners and also close to the legs of pieces of furniture, and that injury or marring of the washboarding and furniture by the casing of the sweeper striking against the same is avoided. It will also be observed is that the rotation or movement of the brush inward, so that the dust and trash. are thrown inward toward thecenter of the casing or shell at the bottom of the sweeper in whichever direction the sweeper is moved. It will also be observed that the brush rotates in the same direction whether the sweeper is moved forward or backward and whether a long or short stroke of the sweeper is made.

Instead of having the shoe fiat, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, it may be in the form of a roller, as shown in Fig. 3, where the numeral 56 designates a roller journaled to an arm 57, pivoted at 58 and pressed by a spring 59, bearing against the upper extension of the arm, which arm may be limited in its downward movement by a stop 60, against which it will bear.

I have illustrated and described what I consider to be the best form of the invention; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular form illustrated, as changes can be made without departing from the broad essential features of the invention.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is- 1. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a brush, a driving-wheel to contact with the floor, a driving rod inclosed Within the sweeper-casing for transmitting motion from the driving-wheel to the brush, and a clutch mechanism inclosed within the sweeper-oasing for rotating the brush in the same direction in both the forward and backward move ment of the sweeper, substantially as described.

2. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a brush, a drivingwheel, a driving rod through which motion is transmitted from the driving-wheel to the brush in both the backward and forward movement of the sweeper, and reversing-gears operatively connected with the driving-rod for rotating the brush in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper, substantially as described.

3. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing having its brush end formed so that the brush may project in front of the casing as well as contact with the floor beneath the casing, a brush mounted in the casing so as to project in front of the same and have a portionlie within the casing, a driving-wheel, means for transmitting motion from the driving-wheel to the brush, and mechanism for rotating the brush in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper, substantially as described.

4. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a brush, a clutch mechanism attached to the brush-shaft between its opposite ends and shielded by the bristles projecting from the shaft on opposite sides thereof, said clutch being adapted to rotate the brush in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper, a driving-Wheel to contact with the floor, and means for transmitting motion from said wheel to the brush, substantially as described.

5. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a shaft carrying bristles, a set of reverselyoperating ratchets and dogs, said ratchets consisting of internally-notched rings and said dogs having knuckles fitting in correspondingly-shaped sockets, both rings and dogs being attached to the brush-shaft between the bristles of the brush, and means connecting said dogs with driving mechanism whereby the brush is rotated in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper, substantially as described.

6. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, the brush, the set of independently-operating pinions connected to the brush, a clutch for each pinion connected with the brush and pinion, one clutch operating oppositely to the other, a driving-rod, and means connecting the driving-rod with said pinions to rotate the brush from the driving-rod in both the backward and forward movement of the sweeper, substantially as described.

7. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a two-part shaft carrying bristles, a set of independently-operating pinions connected one to each section of the brush-shaft, a dog-holding plate or disk for each section of the brushshaft and carrying dogs having knuckles, the disk being formed with cavities corresponding to the form of the dogs and their knuckles, an internally-toothed ring for each dog-holding disk or plate, said teeth and dogs having rounded ends, the dogs of one disk or plate operating oppositely to the other, and said ICC dogs operatingautomatically in the backward and forward movement of the sweeper, and means for operating said pinions independently of each other, substantially as described.

8. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, a brush, a driving-wheel to contact with the floor, a crank-shaft operated from said wheel, a pitman connected at one end to the crank of said shaft, and a clutch mechanism connecting the opposite end of the pitman and the brush, said clutch mechanism adapted to rotate the brush in the same direction in both the forward and backward movement of the sweeper, substantially as described.

9. A carpet-sweeper consisting of a casing, the brush, the set of independently-operating pinions connected to the brush, a clutch for each pinion connected with the brush and pinion, one clutch operating oppositely to the other, the pitman provided with a rack at one end to operatively engage the independent pinions, and the crank-shaft having one end of the pitman connected thereto, substantially as described.

10. Acarpet-sweeper consisting of acasing, the brush, the set of independen tly-operating pinions connected to the brush, a clutch for each pinion connected with the brush and pinion, one clutch operating oppositely to the other, thepitman provided with the segmental rack at one end, some of the teeth of said rack engaging one pinion and other teeth the other pinion, and a crank-shaft for operating said pitman, substantially as described.

11. In a carpet-sweeper, the casing or shell consisting of the side pieces having inwardlyextending brackets, the top member fitting between the side pieces, the tie-rods for clam ping the side pieces together, and the handlesocket castings provided with bolts passing through the top member and said brackets,

substantially as described.

12. In a carpet-sweeper, the casing or shell consisting of the side pieces, the top member formed of a flexible board fitting between the side pieces, the tie-rods for clamping the side pieces and top member together, and the transverse strengthening-block placed across the inside of the top member at the end above the brush, substantially as described.

13. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination with the casing or shell having vertical ways or grooves formed on the inner faces of its side pieces, of the brush located at one end of the casing, the drive-wheel at the other end,and the partition fitting in said ways and separating the space occupied by the drive-wheel from the space between the brush and partition, substantially as described.

14. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination with the casing or shell and the brush, of the shoes 48 pivotally supported adjacent to the brush and independently the1eof,and a spring for exerting a downward pressure on said shoes, substantially as described.

15. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination with the casing and brush, the casing having studs on its inside at the lower part adjacent to the brush, the shoes pivotally supported upon said studs, the dust-pan supported upon the same studs, and the springs for holding the shoes and the pan in their normal position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVIN H. 'DODD.

lVitnesses:

ADRIAN O. I-IONORE, H. H. IIONORI'J, Jr. 

